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How to Style a Blank Canvas Wedding Venue: The Ardeena Team Share their Top Tips!

Wedding styling is about so much more than just throwing a few candles and some pretty flowers together! It’s an opportunity to inject your own personality into your day, by creating a space for celebration that authentically reflects you and your partner.

The styling of your wedding day will ultimately set the tone for your entire celebration, from the moment guests enter your ceremony space to the first glimpse they see of your reception.

Whether you’re dreaming of a relaxed garden party or a glamorous black-tie affair, one of the biggest factors to consider will be your wedding venue itself. And when it comes to choosing the perfect wedding venue to bring your unique wedding vision to life, a blank canvas space is usually the very best place to start!

Blank canvas or self-catering wedding venues are ideally suited for couples who don’t want to be limited by venue restrictions. With the help of some talented suppliers, a blank canvas venue can be completely transformed to suit your wedding vision to an absolute tee, from DIY styling to BYO food and drink.

But where do you begin with styling an empty space to create your dream wedding from scratch?

We thought there would be nobody better for us to explore this topic with than the team at Ardeena – one of our favourite blank canvas wedding venues on the Tweed Coast.

Situated in the hills of Carool overlooking the Tweed Coast Hinterland, Ardeena is best known for its stunning gardens, picturesque natural surroundings and purpose-built reception hall. With both indoor and outdoor blank canvas spaces to take advantage of, including on-site ceremony and reception options, it’s safe to say the Ardeena team knows a thing or two about transforming a venue with creative styling.

In the lead up to the upcoming Ardeena Winter Open Day, we recently spoke to venue manager Emily for her expert tips on the best ways to style a blank canvas wedding venue, along with some practical advice and mistakes to avoid, too. Keep reading for her words of wisdom – DIY brides, take note!

We first asked Emily why so many couples are now opting for blank canvas spaces and informal wedding venues. In her opinion, it all comes down to creative freedom and flexibility, particularly for decor and BYO catering.

“The main benefit would be having the creative freedom to decorate the space as you wish! This allows couples to put their own personal stamp on the venue, whether it’s a specific theme they are hoping to achieve, or something more simplistic.

Another benefit when choosing a blank canvas wedding venue is the freedom to choose from a variety of caterers or food trucks. This gives the couple the opportunity to create a more traditional style wedding if they prefer a sit-down menu with canapés and alternate drop, or a more relaxed vibe with platters or even a pizza truck.”

When it comes to styling an empty space from scratch, Emily explains that it’s all in the details:

“Plants and greenery are key! I love filling big empty spaces with huge beautiful palms. If you’re stuck for ideas on filling a larger space, this is a great way to go.

Rugs, lounges and cocktail furniture with scattered dry bars and stools are very current and modern, too. Festoon lawn lighting is also a great way of lighting up extra space on the grounds!”

What about mistakes to avoid – is there anything couples should be wary of when styling a blank canvas space? Emily shared some advice on a more practical note:

“Try to stick with a general theme when styling. Because there can be more need to hire extra styling items and furniture with a blank canvas venue, this can sometimes mean that couples will hire a mismatch of items that may clash (unless that’s your style!).

Consider the weather too if you’re planning on using the areas outside, and always have a wet weather back up plan.”

A huge thanks to Emily and the Ardeena team for their expert styling tips and inspiration. If you love the idea of a beautiful blank canvas space for your own big day, you can see this stunning Tweed Coast venue for yourself at their upcoming Winter Open Day.

Taking place on Sunday the 15th July, this is the perfect opportunity to see how a blank canvas space can look in action, with some of our favourite local wedding suppliers showcasing on the day. For all of the Open Day details and the full list of suppliers involved, head over to the Ardeena Facebook Event to RSVP your attendance!